PM unveils two initiatives on autism

PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak has unveiled two key autism-related initiatives for Malaysia – the setting up of the National Centre for Autism and turning the Permata Kurnia project into a national centre of excellence for autism.
The prime minister said the National Centre for Autism was initiated with the aim of producing a comprehensive early intervention system, supporting and empowering families, and ensuring sufficient supply of professionals in addressing autism.
It will be in operation by May next year, he said when opening the International Seminar on Autism 2014 at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre today.
"In light of the phenomenal rise of autism globally, countries are reacting to it proactively with prescriptive national action plans on how to set up a comprehensive early inter-vention system, supporting and empowering families and ensuring sufficient supply for effective professionals in this field," he was quoted by Bernama as saying.
Najib said the Permata Kurnia centre will provide early intervention and early childhood special education to 300 children with autism aged between two and six years.
Declaring the centre as a national centre of excellence for autism, he said being the first project for children with disabilities to be fully funded by the government, it will gather expertise for early intervention and collaboration with other centres around the world.
"It will also be the first ever project where a multi-disciplinary team, consisting of early educators, speech therapists and occupational therapists, working together to provide holistic service to autistic children.
"This project will serve as a benchmark in implementing autism service-provision best practices which we hope will be a model for future centres around the world," he said.
He expressed confidence Permata Kurnia would change the landscape of special education in Malaysia.
Asserting Malaysia's aim to become a developed country by 2020, he said one of the indicators is to ensure inclusive education where children with disabilities should receive education in the same manner as their typically developing peers.
"Malaysia truly believes that everybody has the right to education, to be successful and in return able to contribute back to the country.
"In the case of children with learning disabilities, we should not look at it as a tragedy. Instead, tragedy occurs when we continue to ignore the rights and needs of children with learning disabilities," he said.